Method and structure for forming high-K/metal gate extremely thin semiconductor on insulator device

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device is provided that includes a gate structure present on a substrate. The gate structure includes a gate conductor with an undercut region in sidewalls of a first portion of the gate conductor, wherein a second portion of the gate conductor is present over the first portion of the gate conductor and includes a protruding portion over the undercut region. A spacer is adjacent to sidewalls of the gate structure, wherein the spacer includes an extending portion filling the undercut region. A raised source region and a raised drain region is present adjacent to the spacers. The raised source region and the raised drain region are separated from the gate conductor by the extending portion of the spacers.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/859,414, filed Aug. 19, 2010 the entire content and disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor devices. Moreparticularly, the present disclosure relates to scaling of semiconductordevices.

In order to be able to make integrated circuits (ICs), such as memory,logic, and other devices, of higher integration density than currentlyfeasible, one has to find ways to further downscale the dimensions offield effect transistors (FETs), such as metal-oxide-semiconductor fieldeffect transistors (MOSFETs) and complementary metal oxidesemiconductors (CMOS). Scaling achieves compactness and improvesoperating performance in devices by shrinking the overall dimensions andoperating voltages of the device while maintaining the device'selectrical properties. Additionally, all dimensions of the device mustbe scaled simultaneously in order to optimize the electrical performanceof the device. As the conductive elements of the structure arepositioned closer and closer together, and the amount of dielectricmaterial separating the conductive elements is decreased, the parasiticcapacitance of the structure increases.

SUMMARY

A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided in which theraised source region and the raised drain region of the semiconductordevice are separated from the gate conductor of the gate structure by aspacer having an extension portion that is positioned within an undercutregion formed in the sidewall of the gate structure. In one embodiment,the method begins with forming a dummy gate on a substrate. The dummygate may have an undercut region present in sidewalls of the dummy gate.A spacer is formed adjacent to the sidewalls of the dummy gate. A firstspacer portion of the spacer includes an extension portion with a firstwidth that fills the undercut region in the sidewall of the dummy gate.A second spacer portion is present atop the first spacer portion. Thesecond spacer portion has a second width that is less than the firstwidth of the first spacer portion. A raised source region and a raiseddrain region are formed on the substrate adjacent to the spacer, whereinthe raised source region and the raised drain region are separated fromthe dummy gate by the extension portion of the spacer. The dummy gate isremoved to provide an opening to the substrate. The opening is filledwith a gate structure including a gate conductor having an undercutregion filled with the extension portion of the spacer.

In another aspect, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductordevice may include a gate structure present on a substrate. The gatestructure may include a gate conductor having a first portion on thesubstrate, and a second portion on the first portion of the gateconductor. The first portion of the gate conductor includes an undercutregion in the sidewalls of the gate conductor. The second portion of thegate conductor includes protruding portions over the undercut region ofthe first portion of the gate conductor. A spacer is present adjacent tothe sidewalls of the gate structure. The spacer includes an extensionportion filling the undercut region of the first portion of the gateconductor. A raised source region and a raised drain region are presentadjacent to the spacer, wherein the raised source region and the raiseddrain region are separated from the gate conductor by the extensionportion of the spacer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description, given by way of example and notintended to limit the present disclosure solely thereto, will best beappreciated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals denote like elements and parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a dummy gate ona substrate, in accordance with one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming an undercutregion in the sidewall of the dummy gate, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a spaceradjacent to the sidewalls of the dummy gate, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a raised sourceregion and a raised drain region on the substrate adjacent to thespacer, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view depicting an interlevel dielectriclayer formed over the raised source region, the raised drain region andthe dummy gate region, and planarizing the interlevel dielectric layerto provide an upper surface of the interlevel dielectric layer that iscoplanar with an upper surface of the dummy gate, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view depicting removing the dummy gateto provide an opening to the substrate, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a conformal gatedielectric on an exposed portion of the substrate within the opening andon the interior sidewalls of the spacer, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view depicting depositing a gateconductor on the conformal gate dielectric, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein;however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments aremerely illustrative of the present disclosure that may be embodied invarious forms. In addition, each of the examples given in connectionwith the various embodiments of the disclosure are intended to beillustrative, and not restrictive. Further, the figures are notnecessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show detailsof particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functionaldetails disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, butmerely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art tovariously employ the present disclosure.

References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”,“an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment describedmay include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, butevery embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature,structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarilyreferring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature,structure, or characteristic is described in connection with anembodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of oneskilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristicin connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitlydescribed. For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms“upper”, “lower”, “right”, “left”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”,“bottom”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention, as itis oriented in the drawing figures. The terms “overlying”, “atop”,“positioned on” or “positioned atop” means that a first element, such asa first structure, is present on a second element, such as a secondstructure, wherein intervening elements, such as an interface structure,e.g. interface layer, may be present between the first element and thesecond element. The term “direct contact” means that a first element,such as a first structure, and a second element, such as a secondstructure, are connected without any intermediary conducting, insulatingor semiconductor layers at the interface of the two elements.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method forforming a planar semiconductor device on a semiconductor on insulator(SOI) substrate having an extremely thin semiconductor on insulator(ETSOI) layer. As used herein, a “semiconductor device” is an intrinsicsemiconductor material that has been doped, i.e., into which a dopingagent has been introduced, giving it different electrical propertiesthan the intrinsic semiconductor. Doping involves adding dopant atoms toan intrinsic semiconductor, which changes the electron and hole carrierconcentrations of the intrinsic semiconductor at thermal equilibrium. Inone embodiment, the semiconductor device that is provided by the presentdisclosure is a field effect transistor. A field effect transistor is asemiconductor device in which output current, i.e., source-draincurrent, is controlled by the voltage applied to a gate structure. Afield effect transistor has three terminals, i.e., a gate structure, asource and a drain region. The gate structure is a structure used tocontrol output current, i.e., flow of carriers in the channel, of asemiconducting device, such as a field effect transistor, throughelectrical or magnetic fields. The channel is the region between thesource region and the drain region of a semiconductor device thatbecomes conductive when the semiconductor device is turned on. Thesource region, e.g., raised source region and corresponding extension,is a doped region in the semiconductor device, in which majoritycarriers are flowing into the channel. The drain region, e.g., raiseddrain region and corresponding extension, is the doped region insemiconductor device located at the end of the channel, in whichcarriers are flowing out of the semiconductor device through the drainregion. The channel portion of the semiconductor layer is the locationof the channel of the semiconductor device that is formed on thesemiconductor layer. An extremely thin semiconductor on insulator(ETSOI) layer is a semiconductor layer that is present atop a buriedinsulating layer of an SOI substrate, wherein the ETSOI layer has athickness of 10 nm or less.

In semiconductor devices that are formed on ETSOI substrates, raisedsource regions and raised drain regions are typically utilized toprovide the appropriate dopant concentration. As used herein, the term“raised” in combination with source and/or drain region denotes that thesource and/or drain region is formed on a semiconductor material layerthat is present on an upper surface of the substrate on which the gatestructure, e.g., gate dielectric, is present. However, it has beendetermined that raised source regions and raised drain regions adverselyresult in an increase in the parasitic capacitance between the gatestructure and the raised source region and the raised drain region. Insome embodiments and in order to reduce parasitic capacitance, themethod disclosed herein provides a spacer that increases the amount ofdielectric material that separates the raised source region and raiseddrain region from the conductive features of the gate structure. In oneembodiment, a method is disclosed in which a spacer having an extensionportion is employed to increase the amount of dielectric materialbetween the gate conductor and the raised source region and the raiseddrain region. This particular embodiment is depicted in FIGS. 1-8.

FIG. 1 illustrates the results of the initial processing steps thatproduce a substrate 5, i.e., semiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate,in which the substrate 5 comprises at least a first semiconductor layer20 (hereafter referred to as an ETSOI layer 20) overlying a dielectriclayer 15, wherein the ETSOI layer 20 has a thickness of less than 10 nm.A second semiconductor layer 10 may be present underlying the dielectriclayer 15.

The ETSOI layer 20 may comprise any semiconducting material including,but not limited to, Si, strained Si, SiC, SiGe, SiGeC, Si alloys, Ge, Gealloys, GaAs, InAs, and InP, or any combination thereof. The ETSOI layer20 may be thinned to a desired thickness by planarization, grinding, wetetch, dry etch, oxidation followed by oxide etch, or any combinationthereof. One method of thinning the ETSOI layer 20 is to oxidize siliconby a thermal dry or wet oxidation process, and then wet etch the oxidelayer using a hydrofluoric (HF) acid mixture. This process can berepeated to achieve the desired thickness. In one embodiment, the ETSOIlayer 20 has a thickness ranging from 1.0 nm to 10.0 nm. In anotherembodiment, the ETSOI layer 20 has a thickness ranging from 1.0 nm to5.0 nm. In a further embodiment, the ETSOI layer 20 has a thicknessranging from 3.0 nm to 8.0 nm. The second semiconductor layer 10 may bea semiconducting material including, but not limited to, Si, strainedSi, SiC, SiGe, SiGeC, Si alloys, Ge, Ge alloys, GaAs, InAs, InP as wellas other III/V and II/VI compound semiconductors.

The dielectric layer 15 that can be present underlying the ETSOI layer20 and atop the second semiconductor layer 10 may be formed byimplanting a high-energy dopant into the substrate 5 and then annealingthe structure to form a buried insulating layer, i.e., dielectric layer15. In another embodiment, the dielectric layer 15 may be deposited orgrown prior to the formation of the ETSOI layer 20. In yet anotherembodiment, the substrate 5 may be formed using wafer-bondingtechniques, where a bonded wafer pair is formed utilizing glue, adhesivepolymer, or direct bonding.

FIG. 1 also depicts forming a dummy gate 25 on the substrate 5. As usedherein, a “dummy gate” is a structure that defines the geometry of thelater formed gate structure that operates the semiconductor device, inwhich the dummy gate is removed and the gate structure that operates thesemiconductor device is formed in its place. In one embodiment, formingthe dummy gate 25 includes forming a material stack on the substrate 5.The material stack can include a first material layer 27 present on thesubstrate 5, and a second material layer 28 present on the firstmaterial layer 27. An optional dielectric cap 29 can also be present onthe second material layer 28.

The first material layer 27 may be composed of any material that can beetched selectively to the underlying substrate 5 and the subsequentlyformed second material layer 28.

In one embodiment, the first material layer 27 is composed of adielectric, such as an oxide, nitride, oxynitride or a combinationthereof. The first material layer 27 may be composed of a low-kdielectric material or a high-k dielectric material. Low-k dielectricmaterials have a dielectric constant measured at room temperature (25°C.) that is 4.0 or less, wherein high-k dielectric materials have adielectric constant measured at room temperature (25° C.) that isgreater than 4.0. The first material layer 27 may be formed using adeposition process, such as chemical vapor deposition. Chemical vapordeposition (CVD) is a deposition process in which a deposited species isformed as a results of chemical reaction between gaseous reactants at anelevated temperature (typically being greater than 200° C.), whereinsolid product of the reaction is deposited on the surface on which afilm, coating, or layer of the solid product is to be formed. Variationsof CVD processes include, but not limited to, Atmospheric Pressure CVD(APCVD), Low Pressure CVD (LPCVD) and Plasma Enhanced CVD (EPCVD),Metal-Organic CVD (MOCVD) and combinations thereof may also be employed.The first material layer 27 typically has a thickness ranging from 1 nmto 50 nm. In another embodiment, the first material layer 27 has athickness ranging from 2 nm to 30 nm. In yet another embodiment, thefirst material layer 27 has a thickness ranging from 5 nm to 20 nm. Inone example, the first material layer 27 is composed of silicon oxide.

The second material layer 28 may be composed of any material that can beetched selectively to the underlying first material layer 27. In oneembodiment, the second material layer 28 may be composed of asemiconductor-containing material, such as a silicon-containingmaterial, e.g., polysilicon. Silicon-containing materials suitable forthe second material layer 28 include single crystal silicon, amorphoussilicon, polysilicon, silicon germanium and silicon doped with carbon(Si:C) and combinations thereof. Although, the second material layer 28is typically composed of a semiconductor material, the second materiallayer 28 may also be composed of a dielectric material, such as anoxide, nitride or oxynitride material, or amorphous carbon. The secondmaterial layer 28 may be formed using a deposition process, such aschemical vapor deposition. Variations of CVD processes include, but notlimited to, Atmospheric Pressure CVD (APCVD), Low Pressure CVD (LPCVD)and Plasma Enhanced CVD (EPCVD), Metal-Organic CVD (MOCVD) andcombinations thereof may also be employed. The second material layer 28typically has a thickness ranging from 5 nm to 50 nm. In anotherembodiment, the second material layer 28 has a thickness ranging from 10nm to 40 nm. In yet another embodiment, the second material layer 28 hasa thickness ranging from 20 nm to 30 nm. In one example, the secondmaterial layer 28 is composed of polysilicon.

As mentioned above, the material stack may also include a dielectric cap29 that is present on the second material layer 28. The dielectric cap29 may be composed of an oxide, nitride or oxynitride material. Thedielectric cap 29 may have a thickness ranging from 1 nm to 10 nm. Inanother embodiment, the dielectric cap 29 has a thickness ranging from 2nm to 5 nm. In one example, the dielectric cap 29 is composed of siliconnitride. In some embodiments, the dielectric cap 29 may be omitted.

The material stack may be patterned and etch to provide the dummy gate25. Specifically, and in one example, a pattern is produced by applyinga photoresist to the surface to be etched, exposing the photoresist to apattern of radiation, and then developing the pattern into thephotoresist utilizing a resist developer. Once the patterning of thephotoresist is completed, the sections covered by the photoresist areprotected while the exposed regions are removed using a selectiveetching process that removes the unprotected regions. As used herein,the term “selective” in reference to a material removal process denotesthat the rate of material removal for a first material is greater thanthe rate of removal for at least another material of the structure towhich the material removal process is being applied.

In one embodiment, the etch process first etches the dielectric cap 29to provide a hard mask with an etch chemistry that removes the materialof the dielectric cap 29 selective to the second material layer 28 andthe photoresist mask (not shown). The photoresist mask may then beremoved. The remaining portion of the dielectric cap 29 then functionsas an etch mask to remove the exposed portions of the second materiallayer 28 and the first material layer 27 with etch chemistries that areselective to the substrate 5 and the dielectric cap 29. In oneembodiment, the etch process that forms the dummy gate 25 is ananisotropic etch. An anisotropic etch process is a material removalprocess in which the etch rate in the direction normal to the surface tobe etched is greater than in the direction parallel to the surface to beetched. The anisotropic etch may include reactive-ion etching (RIE).Reactive ion etching (RIE) is a form of plasma etching in which duringetching the surface to be etched is placed on the RF powered electrodeis exposed to reactive gases in the presence of an RF field. Moreover,during RIE the surface to be etched takes on a potential thataccelerates the reactive etching species extracted from a plasma towardthe surface, in which the chemical etching reaction is taking place inthe direction normal to the surface. Other examples of anisotropicetching that can be used at this point of the present disclosure includeion beam etching, plasma etching or laser ablation.

The width W1 of the dummy gate 25 may range from 5 nm to 500 nm. Inanother embodiment, the width W1 of the dummy gate 25 may range from 10nm to 100 nm. In yet another embodiment, the width W1 of the dummy gate25 may range from 15 nm to 50 nm.

FIG. 2 depicts one embodiment of forming an undercut region 30 in thesidewall of the dummy gate 25. An undercut region 30 is a void that hasbeen formed extending from the original sidewall of the dummy gate 25towards the center of the dummy gate 25. The undercut region 30 may beformed by an isotropic etch. In comparison to a directional etch, suchas an anisotropic etch, the isotropic etch process is a material removalprocess in which the rate of the etching reaction is substantiallysimilar in any direction. The etch process may include a plasma etch ora wet etch.

In one example, the etch process that forms the undercut region 30removes the material of the first material layer 27 selective to atleast the substrate 5 and the second material layer 28. In oneembodiment, in which the first material layer 27 is an oxide, such assilicon oxide, and the second material layer 28 is asemiconductor-containing material, such as polysilicon, the undercutregion 30 may be provided by a chemical oxide removal (COR) process.Chemical oxide removal (COR) is a dry etch process. In one example, thechemical oxide removal (COR) process may include exposing the structureto a gaseous mixture of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and ammonia (NH₄OH). Theratio of hydrofluoric acid (HF) to ammonia (NH₄OH) in the chemical oxideremoval (COR) process may range from 2.25:1 to 1.75:1 at a pressurebetween 0.75 mTorr and 15 mTorr at approximately room temperature (25°C.). In one example, the ratio of hydrofluoric acid (HF) to ammonia(NH₄OH) in the chemical oxide removal (COR) is 2:1, at a pressurebetween 1 mTorr and 10 mTorr and a temperature of about 25° C. Duringthis exposure, the HF and ammonia gases react with the sidewall residuethat is present on the exposed surface of the first material layer 27from the etch process that produced the dummy gate 25 to form a solidreaction product. The solid reaction product is removed in a second stepwhich includes heating the structure to a temperature greater than about90° C., e.g., 100° C., thus causing the reaction product to evaporate.In another embodiment, the reaction product may be removed by rinsingthe structure in water, or removing with an aqueous solution. In anotherembodiment, the undercut region 30 is formed by an isotropic wet etchcomposed of hydrofluoric acid (HF), in which the isotropic wet etchremoves the material of the first material layer 27 selective to thesecond material layer 28 and the substrate 5.

In one embodiment, the undercut region 30 extends a dimension L1 rangingfrom 1 nm to 20 nm, as measured from a sidewall S1 of the secondmaterial layer 28. In another embodiment, the undercut region 30 extendsa dimension L1 ranging from 2 nm to 15 nm, as measured from a sidewallS1 of the second material layer 28. In an even further embodiment, theundercut region 30 extends a dimension L1 ranging from 5 nm to 10 nm, asmeasured from a sidewall S1 of the second material layer 28.

FIG. 3 depicts one embodiment of forming a spacer 35 adjacent to thesidewalls of the dummy gate 25. The spacer 35 includes an extendingportion 36 that fills the undercut region 30 that was formed in thedummy gate 25 by removing a portion of the first material layer 25. Thespacer 35 may be composed of any dielectric material that provides thatthe dummy gate 25 can be removed with an etch that is selective to thespacer 35. In one embodiment, in which the first material layer 27 ofthe dummy gate 25 is an oxide, such silicon oxide, the spacer 35 may becomposed of a nitride, such as silicon nitride. The spacer 35 may be anyoxide, nitride or oxynitride material, so long as the spacer 35 is notattacked by the etch process that removes the dummy gate 25. The spacer35 may be formed by using a blanket layer deposition and an anisotropicetchback method. It is noted that the material for the spacer 35 may bedeposited using any deposition method, e.g., chemical vapor deposition,so long as the material for the spacer 35 fills the undercut region 30.The spacer 35 may be a single layer or multiple layers.

In one embodiment, the spacer 35 includes a base region 37 (alsoreferred to as “first spacer portion”) which includes an extendingportion 36 of the spacer 35 that fills the undercut region 30. The baseregion 37 includes an interior sidewall S2 that is adjacent to thesidewall of the remaining portion of the first material layer 27. Theupper boundary of the base region 37 of the spacer 35 is coplanar withthe upper surface of the first material layer 27 of the dummy gate 25.In one embodiment, the width W2 of the upper boundary of the base region37 of the spacer 35 that includes the extending portion 36 ranges from 5nm to 50 nm. In another embodiment, the width W2 of the upper boundaryof base region 37 of the spacer 35 that includes the extending portion36 ranges from 10 nm to 40 nm. In yet another embodiment, the width W2of the base region 37 of the spacer 35 that includes the extendingportion 36 ranges from 15 nm to 30 nm.

The spacer 35 also includes an upper region 38 (also referred to as“second spacer portion”) that overlying the base region 37 of the spacer35. The upper region 38 has an interior sidewall S3 that is adjacent tothe sidewall of the second material layer 28 of the dummy gate 25. Inone embodiment, the width W3 of the lower boundary of the upper region38 of the spacer 35 ranges from 2 nm to 30 nm. In another embodiment,the width W3 of the lower boundary of the upper region 38 of the spacer35 ranges from 5 nm to 20 nm. In yet another embodiment, the width W3 ofthe upper region 38 of the spacer 35 ranges from 5 nm to 15 nm. Thewidth W3 of the upper region 38 of the spacer 35 is less than the widthW2 of the base region 37 of the spacer 35.

The interior sidewall S3 of the upper region 38 of the spacer 35 islaterally offset from the interior sidewall S2 of the base region 37 ofthe spacer 35. The offset between the interior sidewall S2 of the baseregion 37 of the spacer 35 and the interior sidewall S3 of the upperregion 38 of the spacer is equal to the dimension L1 defining the widthof the undercut region 30. It is further noted that the interiorsidewall S2 of the base region 37 of the spacer 35, and the interiorsidewall of the S3 of the upper region 38 of the spacer 35 aresubstantially parallel to one another, and are substantiallyperpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate 5. The exteriorsidewall S4 of the spacer 35 may have a concave curvature relative tothe center of the dummy gate 25, i.e., the apex of the curvature is thepoint on the curvature having greatest distance from the dummy gate 25.

In one embodiment, the spacer 35 is of a unitary structure. By “unitarystructure” it is meant that the base region 37 and the upper region 38are composed of the same material, and are not separated by an interfaceseam. An interface seam is a boundary between two separately formedstructures.

FIG. 4 depicts one embodiment of forming a raised source region 39 and araised drain region 40 on the substrate 5 adjacent to the spacer 35. Thewidth W2 of the base region 37 of the spacer 35 determines the proximityof the raised source region 39 and the raised drain region 40 to thechannel of the device. In one embodiment, the raised source region 39and the raised drain region 40 are composed of in-situ dopedsemiconductor material that is formed on the ETSOI layer 20 of thesubstrate 5 using an epitaxial growth process.

“Epitaxial growth and/or deposition” means the growth of a semiconductormaterial on a deposition surface of a semiconductor material, in whichthe semiconductor material being grown has the same crystallinecharacteristics as the semiconductor material of the deposition surface.When the chemical reactants are controlled and the system parameters setcorrectly, the depositing atoms arrive at the surface of the ETSOI layer20 with sufficient energy to move around on the surface and orientthemselves to the crystal arrangement of the atoms of the depositionsurface. Thus, an epitaxial film deposited on a {100} crystal surfacewill take on a {100} orientation. If, on the other hand, the wafersurface has an amorphous surface layer, possibly the result ofimplanting, the depositing atoms have no surface to align to, resultingin the formation of polysilicon instead of single crystal silicon.

A number of different sources may be used for the deposition ofepitaxial silicon. Silicon sources for epitaxial growth include silicontetrachloride, dichlorosilane (SiH₂Cl₂), and silane (SiH₄). Thetemperature for epitaxial silicon deposition typically ranges from 550°C. to 900° C. Although higher temperature typically results in fasterdeposition, the faster deposition may result in crystal defects and filmcracking.

In one embodiment, the in-situ doped semiconductor material may beprovided by selective-epitaxial growth of SiGe atop the ETSOI layer 20.The Ge content of the epitaxial grown SiGe may range from 5% to 60%, byatomic weight %. In another embodiment, the Ge content of the epitaxialgrown SiGe may range from 10% to 40%. The epitaxial grown SiGe may beunder an intrinsic compressive strain, in which the compressive strainis produced by a lattice mismatch between the larger lattice dimensionof the SiGe and the smaller lattice dimension of the layer on which theSiGe is epitaxially grown. In one embodiment, the epitaxial grown SiGeproduces a compressive strain in the portion of the ETSOI layer 20, inwhich the channel of a semiconductor device, such as a pFET device, issubsequently formed.

The term “in-situ doped” means that the dopant that provides theconductivity of the raised source regions 39 and raised drain regions 40is introduced during the epitaxial growth process that provides thesemiconductor material of the raised source regions 39 and the raiseddrain regions 40. In one embodiment, the in-situ doped semiconductormaterial is doped with a first conductivity type dopant during theepitaxial growth process. As used herein, the term “conductivity type”denotes a dopant region being p-type or n-type. As used herein, “p-type”refers to the addition of impurities to an intrinsic semiconductor thatcreates deficiencies of valence electrons. In a silicon-containingsubstrate, examples of n-type dopants, i.e., impurities, include but arenot limited to: boron, aluminum, gallium and indium. As used herein,“n-type” refers to the addition of impurities that contributes freeelectrons to an intrinsic semiconductor. In a silicon containingsubstrate examples of n-type dopants, i.e., impurities, include but arenot limited to antimony, arsenic and phosphorous.

P-type MOSFET devices are produced by doping the in-situ dopedsemiconductor material for the raised source region 39 and the raiseddrain region 40 with elements from group III of the Periodic Table ofElements. In one embodiment, the group III element is boron, aluminum,gallium or indium. In one example, in which the in-situ dopedsemiconductor material for the raised source region 39 and the raiseddrain region 40 is doped to provide a p-type conductivity, the dopantmay be boron present in a concentration ranging from 1×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ to2×10²¹ atoms/cm³. In one example, the in-situ doped semiconductormaterial is composed of SiGe and is doped with boron to provide theraised source region 39 and the raised drain region 40 of a p-typeconductivity field effect transistor.

In another embodiment, the in-situ doped semiconductor material thatprovides the raised source region 39 and the raised drain region 40 iscomposed of epitaxially grown Si:C or carbon doped silicon. The carbon(C) content of the epitaxial grown Si:C ranges from 0.3% to 5%, byatomic weight %. In another embodiment, the carbon (C) content of theepitaxial grown Si:C may range from 1% to 2%. The epitaxial grown Si:Cmay be under an intrinsic tensile strain, in which the tensile strain isproduced by a lattice mismatch between the smaller lattice dimension ofthe Si:C and the larger lattice dimension of the layer on which the Si:Cis epitaxially grown. In one embodiment, the epitaxial grown Si:Cproduces a tensile strain in the ETSOI layer 20, in which the channel ofa semiconductor device, such as an nFET device, is subsequently formed.

In one embodiment, the in-situ doped semiconductor material is dopedwith a second conductivity type dopant during the epitaxial growthprocess. In one embodiment, n-type MOSFET devices are produced by dopingthe in-situ doped semiconductor material with elements from group V ofthe Periodic Table of Elements. In one embodiment, the group V elementis phosphorus, antimony or arsenic.

Although the raised source region 39 and the raised drain region 40 havebeen described using an in-situ doping process, the raised source region39 and the raised drain region 40 may also be formed by depositing anundoped semiconductor layer and then introducing p-type or n-type dopantinto the undoped semiconductor layer with ion implantation or gas phasedoping.

FIG. 4 further depicts one embodiment of diffusing dopant from thein-situ doped semiconductor material of the raised source region 39 andthe raised drain region 40 into the ETSOI layer 20 to form extensionregions 45. In one embodiment, the dopant from the in-situ dopedsemiconductor material is diffused into the ETSOI layer 20 by anannealing processes including, but not limited to, rapid thermalannealing, furnace annealing, flash lamp annealing, laser annealing, orany suitable combination of thereof. In one embodiment, thermalannealing to diffuse the dopant from the in-situ doped semiconductormaterial into the ETSOI layer 20 is conducted at a temperature rangingfrom 850° C. to 1350° C.

In one embodiment, in which in-situ doped semiconductor material isdoped to a p-type conductivity, the extension regions 45 that are formedin the ETSOI layer 20 have a p-type conductivity. Typically, the dopantconcentration of the extension regions 45 having the p-type conductivityranges from 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³ to 2×10²¹ atoms/cm³. In another embodiment,the extension regions 45 having the p-type conductivity have a dopantconcentration ranging from 2×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³ to 5×10²⁰ atoms/cm³.

In another embodiment, in which the in-situ doped semiconductor materialis doped to an n-type conductivity, the extension regions 45 that areformed in the ETSOI layer 45 have an n-type conductivity. Typically, thedopant concentration of the extension regions 45 having the n-typeconductivity ranges from 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³ to 2×10²¹ atoms/cm³. Inanother embodiment, the extension regions 45 having the n-typeconductivity have a dopant concentration ranging from 2×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³to 5×10²⁰ atoms/cm³.

In one embodiment, the extension regions 45 have a depth that extendsthe entire depth of the ETSOI layer 20. Therefore, the extension regions45 have a depth of less than 10 nm, typically being 3 nm to 8 nm indepth, as measured from the upper surface of the ETSOI layer 20.Although the extension regions 45 are described above as being formed bydiffusing dopant from the raised source region 39 and the raised drainregion 40 into the ETSOI layer 20, the extension regions 45 may also beformed by ion implanting of n-type or p-type dopants into the ETSOIlayer 20 after forming the dummy gate 25, and before forming the raisedsource region 39 and the raised drain region 40.

FIG. 5 depicts one embodiment of forming an interlevel dielectric layer50 over the raised source region 39, the raised drain region 40 and thedummy gate 25, and planarizing the interlevel dielectric layer 50 toprovide an upper surface of the interlevel dielectric layer 50 that iscoplanar with an upper surface of the dummy gate 25. The interleveldielectric layer 50 may be selected from the group consisting ofsilicon-containing materials such as SiO₂, Si₃N₄, SiO_(x)N_(y), SiC,SiCO, SiCOH, and SiCH compounds, the above-mentioned silicon-containingmaterials with some or all of the Si replaced by Ge, carbon-dopedoxides, inorganic oxides, inorganic polymers, hybrid polymers, organicpolymers such as polyamides or SiLK™, other carbon-containing materials,organo-inorganic materials such as spin-on glasses andsilsesquioxane-based materials, and diamond-like carbon (DLC, also knownas amorphous hydrogenated carbon, α-C:H). Additional choices for theblanket dielectric include, any of the aforementioned materials inporous form, or in a form that changes during processing to or frombeing porous and/or permeable to being non-porous and/or non-permeable.

The interlevel dielectric layer 50 may be planarized to expose the uppersurface of the dummy gate 25. Planarization is a material removalprocess that employs at least mechanical forces, such as frictionalmedia, to produce a planar surface. The interlevel dielectric layer 50may be planarized using chemical mechanical planarization (CMP).Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is a material removal processusing both chemical reactions and mechanical forces to remove materialand planarize a surface. In one embodiment, the planarization processstops on the dielectric cap 29 of the dummy gate 25. In anotherembodiment, the planarization process removes the dielectric cap 29stopping on the upper surface of the second material layer 28 of thedummy gate 25.

FIG. 6 depicts one embodiment of removing the dummy gate 25 to providean opening to the substrate 5, i.e., an opening to the ETSOI layer 20 ofthe substrate 5. The dummy gate 25 is typically removed using aselective etch process that removes the dummy gate 25 selective to thesubstrate 5 and the spacer 35. The etch may be an isotropic etch, suchas a wet etch, or an anisotropic etch, such as reactive ion etching. Inthe embodiments in which the dielectric cap 29 is present atop the dummygate 25, the dielectric cap 29 may be removed by a selective etch or aplanarization process.

In one embodiment, in which the second material layer 28 is composed ofpolysilicon, the ETSOI layer 20 of the substrate 5 is asilicon-containing material, and the spacer 35 is composed of siliconnitride, the wet etch chemistry for removing the dummy gate 25 may becomposed of NH₄OH or tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). In oneembodiment, the etch process that removes the second material layer 28of the dummy gate 25, also removes the first material layer 27 of thedummy gate 25. In another embodiment, the second material layer 28 isremoved by a first etch chemistry that is selective to the firstmaterial layer 27, and the first material layer 27 is removed by asecond etch chemistry that is selective to the ETSOI layer 20 of thesubstrate 5.

In one embodiment, the opening that is formed by removing the dummy gate25 has an upper width W4 that is greater than the lower width W5 of theopening. The upper width W4 is defined by the distance between theinterior sidewalls S3 of the upper region 38 of the spacer 35 that arepresent on opposing sides of the channel. The lower width W5 is definedby the distance between the interior sidewalls S2 of the lower region 37of the spacer 35 that are present on opposing sides of the channel. Inone embodiment, the upper width W4 ranges from 25 nm to 60 nm, and thelower width W5 ranges from 15 nm to 50 nm. The geometry of the openingtypically facilitates the process steps to fill the opening with a gatedielectric and a gate conductor.

FIG. 7 depicts forming a gate dielectric layer 55 on at least thechannel portion of the ETSOI layer 20 of the substrate 5. In oneembodiment, the gate dielectric layer 55 is formed using a depositionprocess, such as chemical vapor deposition. Variations of CVD processesfor depositing the gate dielectric layer 55 include, but are not limitedto, Atmospheric Pressure CVD (APCVD), Low Pressure CVD (LPCVD) andPlasma Enhanced CVD (EPCVD), Metal-Organic CVD (MOCVD) and others. Inanother embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 55 may be formed by athermal growth process such as, for example, oxidation, nitridation oroxynitridation.

In one embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 55 is a conformaldielectric layer that is present on the sidewalls S2, S3 of the openingthat is formed by removing the dummy gate 25 and the base of theopening, i.e., channel of the substrate 5. The conformal dielectriclayer is also present on the sidewalls S2, S3 of the opening in directcontact with upper region 38 of the spacer 35 and the base region 37 ofthe spacer. The term “conformal” denotes a layer having a thickness thatdoes not deviate from greater than or less than 30% of an average valuefor the thickness of the layer. The thickness of the gate dielectriclayer 55 typically ranges from 1 nm to 10 nm. In one embodiment, thethickness of the gate dielectric layer 55 ranges from 2 nm to 5 nm.

The gate dielectric layer 55 may be composed of any dielectricincluding, but not limited to SiO₂; Si₃N₄; SiON; temperature sensitivehigh-k dielectrics such as TiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZrO₂, HfO₂, Ta₂O₅, La₂O₃; andother like oxides including perovskite-type oxides. The gate dielectriclayer 55 may also be a high-k dielectric. The high-k dielectric may becomposed of an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride or combinations andmulti-layers thereof. A high-k dielectric may be a material having adielectric constant that is greater than the dielectric constant ofsilicon oxide. In one embodiment, the high-k dielectric is comprised ofa material having a dielectric constant that is greater than 4.0, e.g.,4.1. In another embodiment, the high-k dielectric is comprised of amaterial having a dielectric constant greater than 7.0. In yet anotherembodiment, the high-k dielectric is comprised of a material having adielectric constant ranging from greater than 4.0 to 30. The dielectricconstants mentioned herein are relative to a vacuum.

Some examples of high-k dielectric materials suitable for the gatedielectric layer 55 include hafnium oxide, hafnium silicon oxide,hafnium silicon oxynitride, lanthanum oxide, lanthanum aluminum oxide,zirconium oxide, zirconium silicon oxide, zirconium silicon oxynitride,tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, barium strontium titanium oxide, bariumtitanium oxide, strontium titanium oxide, yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide,lead scandium tantalum oxide, lead zinc niobate and combinationsthereof. In one example, the gate dielectric layer 55 has a thicknessranging from 1.0 nm to 10.0 nm. In another example, the gate dielectriclayer 55 may have a thickness ranging from 2.5 nm to 5.0 nm. In oneembodiment, the gate dielectric layer 55 is hafnium oxide (HfO₂). In oneembodiment, gate dielectric layer 55 is a multi-layered structure thatis composed of a high-k dielectric layer and a metal nitride gatedielectric. In one embodiment, the metal nitride gate dielectric iscomposed of WN, WSiN, TiN, TiSiN, TaN, TaSiN, TiTaN, TaRuN orcombinations thereof.

FIG. 8 depicts one embodiment of depositing a gate conductor 60 on thegate dielectric layer 55. The gate conductor 60 may be composed of atleast one conductive material including, but not limited to metals,metal alloys, metal nitrides and metal silicides, as well as laminatesthereof and composites thereof. In one embodiment, the gate conductor 60may be composed of any conductive metal including, but not limited to,W, Ni, Ti, Mo, Ta, Cu, Pt, Ag, Au, Ru, Ir, Rh, and Re, and alloys thatinclude at least one of the aforementioned conductive elemental metals.The gate conductor 60 may also comprise doped polysilicon and/orpolysilicon-germanium alloy materials (i.e., having a dopantconcentration from about 1×10¹⁸ to about 1×10²² dopant atoms per cubiccentimeter) and polycide materials (doped polysilicon/metal silicidestack materials). The gate conductor 60 may be composed of the samematerial or different materials. The gate conductor 60 may be formedusing a deposition method including, but not limited to, salicidemethods, atomic layer deposition methods, chemical vapor depositionmethods and physical vapor deposition methods, such as, but not limitedto, evaporative methods and sputtering methods. Although the gateconductor 60 is depicted in the supplied figures as being a singlelayer, embodiments have been contemplated in which the gate conductor 60is a multi-layered structure of conductive materials.

Following deposition of the gate conductor 60, the portion of the gateconductor 60 and the gate dielectric layer 55 that are present on theupper surface of the interlevel dielectric 50 may be removed usingplanarization, such as chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) or aselective etch. The gate dielectric layer 55 and the gate conductor 60provide the gate structure 65 to a planar semiconductor device formed onthe ETSOI layer 20 of a substrate 5. The term “gate structure” means astructure used to control output current (i.e., flow of carriers in thechannel) of a semiconducting device through electrical or magneticfields.

Referring to FIG. 8, the above process may provide a planarsemiconductor device that includes a gate structure 65 present on asubstrate 5. In one embodiment, the gate structure 65 includes a gateconductor 60 with an undercut region 61 in sidewalls of a first portion62 of the gate conductor 60. A second portion 63 of the gate conductor60 is present over the first portion 62 of the gate conductor 60 andincludes a protruding portion 64 over the undercut region 61. Thespacers 35 are adjacent to the sidewalls of the gate structure 65. Thespacers 35 include an extending portion 36 filling the undercut region61. A raised source region 39 and a raised drain region 40 is presentadjacent to the spacer 35. The raised source region 39 and the raiseddrain region 40 are separated from the gate conductor 60 by theextending portion 36 of the spacer 35.

The extending portion 36 of the spacer 35 separates the gate conductor60 of the gate structure 65 from the raised source region 39 and theraised drain region 40 by a distance D1 ranging from 5 nm to 50 nm. Inyet another embodiment, extending portion 36 of the spacer 35 separatesthe gate conductor 60 of the gate structure 65 from the raised sourceregion 39 and the raised drain region 40 by a distance D1 ranging from10 nm to 30 nm. The extension portion 36 of the spacer 35 reduces theparasitic capacitance between the gate conductor 60 and the raisedsource region 39 and the raised drain region 50 by approximately 50%when compared to similar structures that do not include a spacer 35having the extension portion 36, as disclosed herein. In anotherexample, the spacer 35 including the extension portion 36 provides areduction in parasitic capacitance of 70% or greater.

While the methods and structures disclosed herein have been particularlyshown and described with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, itwill be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing andother changes in forms and details may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It is therefore intendedthat the methods and structures disclosed herein not be limited to theexact forms and details described and illustrated, but fall within thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor device comprising: a gatestructure present on a substrate, the gate structure comprising a gatedielectric and a gate conductor, said gate conductor having an undercutregion in sidewalls of a first portion of the gate conductor, wherein asecond portion of the gate conductor is present over the first portionof the gate conductor and includes a protruding portion over theundercut region, and wherein a topmost surface of said gate dielectricis coplanar with a topmost surface of said gate conductor; a spaceradjacent to sidewalls of the gate structure, wherein the spacer includesan extending portion filling the undercut region and wherein said spaceris entirely spaced apart from said gate conductor by a portion of saidgate dielectric; and a raised source region and a raised drain regionpresent adjacent to the spacer, wherein the raised source region and theraised drain region are separated from the gate conductor by theextending portion of the spacer and have a topmost surface that isvertically offset from a topmost surface of the substrate.
 2. Thesemiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is composed of asemiconductor material that is selected from the group consisting of Si,strained Si, SiC, SiGe, SiGeC, Si alloys, Ge, Ge alloys, GaAs, InAs,InP, and combinations thereof.
 3. The semiconductor device of claim 1,wherein the substrate is comprised of a semiconductor layer having athickness of less than 10 nm that is present on a dielectric layer. 4.The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the gate dielectriccomprises a high-k gate dielectric and the gate conductor comprises ametal.
 5. The semiconductor device of claim 4, wherein the high-k gatedielectric is a dielectric selected from the group consisting of hafniumoxide, hafnium silicon oxide, hafnium silicon oxynitride, lanthanumoxide, lanthanum aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, zirconium siliconoxide, zirconium silicon oxynitride, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide,barium strontium titanium oxide, barium titanium oxide, strontiumtitanium oxide, yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide, lead scandium tantalumoxide, lead zinc niobate and combinations thereof.
 6. The semiconductordevice of claim 4, wherein the metal from the gate conductor is selectedfrom the group consisting of W, Ni, Ti, Mo, Ta, Cu, Pt, Ag, Au, Ru, Ir,Rh, Re and combinations thereof.
 7. The semiconductor device of claim 1,wherein the undercut region has a length ranging from 1 nm to 20 nm, asmeasured from a sidewall of the second portion of the gate conductor. 8.The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the spacer is an oxide,nitride or oxynitride material.
 9. The semiconductor device of claim 1,wherein the extending portion of the spacer has a width ranging from 5nm to 50 nm.
 10. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein extendingportion of the spacer has a width that ranges from 10 nm to 40 nm. 11.The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the extending portion ofthe spacer has a width that ranges from 15 nm to 30 nm.
 12. Thesemiconductor device of claim 1, wherein another surface of the gatedielectric is in direct physical contact with a portion of the topmostsurface of the substrate.
 13. The semiconductor device of claim 1,wherein the topmost surface of the raised source region and the raiseddrain region is vertically offset and located below an upper surface ofthe extending portion of the spacer.
 14. The semiconductor device ofclaim 1, wherein the spacer is a unitary structure.
 15. Thesemiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is asemiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate, and the semiconductor devicefurther includes extension regions having a depth that extends an entiredepth of a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) layer of the SOI substrate.16. The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein the extension regionshave a depth of less than 10 nm.
 17. The semiconductor device of claim16, wherein the extension regions have a depth ranging from 3 nm to 8nm.